Playing In The Park
by Dragonsbane1611
Summary: “We’ve got to get you ready. He’ll be here soon and then when we can go,” Lily told him, reaching for his shirt.


Note, by the by: This occurs a few days prior to 'Puddy.Dawd.'.  
  
Playing In The Park  
  
Mon-Tue.09-10.Feb.2004  
  
***  
  
"Park, muh," the little boy said when his head reappeared as his mother pulled a shirt over him.  
  
"Yes, we're taking you and Neville to the park," she told him, attempting to smooth his wild tuft of black hair, but giving up as it tended to stand up more. "James! Can you bring me his jacket and that stocking cap Alice gave him?"  
  
"Nebble?"  
  
Her husband came into the room and dropped the cap onto his son's head. Lily made a face at him and pulled the cap down over Harry's ears before putting him in his coat that made his arms stick out a little.  
  
"No hat," the child said, pulling the green hat off his head and throwing it at his dad who laughed and picked it up. Lily took the hat from him and replaced it on the boy's head.  
  
"I don't think he likes the hat, honey."  
  
"He's going to wear it. It's cold outside."  
  
"No. Hat," Harry shouted, throwing the hat away again.  
  
"Okay, fine. No hat," she gave in, pushing his arms down against his sides. When she let go, they sprung back.  
  
"I think the coat's a little big for him," James put in.  
  
"You're just full of helpful comments today, aren't you?" his wife asked, standing up. He smiled and started to follow her to the living room.  
  
"Come on, Harry," he called, looking back to the toddler who had waddled over to where the hat had landed. James walked over to him and knelt in front of the child. "Let me see that."  
  
Harry looked at him inquisitively, green eyes twinkling. The man placed the hat on the back of the boy's head so that his unruly fringe stuck up in front.  
  
There was the sound of knocking on the front door and father and son gasped at one another.  
  
"Who's that?" James asked, excitedly.  
  
"Nebble!" Harry exclaimed, running toward the hall, fringe flying. His dad laughed as he stood, following the baby into the living room just in time to see him tackle the child that had just arrived.  
  
"Harry!" Lily scolded.  
  
"Oh, that's alright," Frank started as both children stood up and grinned, "Neville can take it."  
  
"Can you?"  
  
James leaped at Frank and they fell to the ground near the boys. Harry and Neville squealed with laughter and climbed on top of their fathers.  
  
"To the park, then?" Alice cut in.  
  
"Yes, to the park," Lily agreed.  
  
The men stood up and heaved their sons into their arms. The Longbottoms were out the door first and Lily started to follow, glancing at her son and doing a double take.  
  
"How did you get him to wear the hat?" she asked her husband as he shut the door behind them.  
  
"I don't think he likes his ears covered," he remarked, studying the child in his arm. "He's cuter this way anyhow, with his hair sticking up."  
  
"I have him wear the hat to flatten it down."  
  
"Like that works," James scoffed, catching up to the other family.  
  
The fathers let the boys down once they made it to a small clearing in the nearby park and Alice and Lily sat down on a bench. Neville chased Harry around jabbering about something for awhile before Harry tripped and Neville fell over him.   
  
"Hey, Frank," James called, approaching his friend, holing a brightly coloured disc in his hand.  
  
"What's that?" the other man questioned.  
  
"Lily calls it a Frisbee."  
  
"A whatsee?"  
  
"Frisbee."  
  
"What does it do?"  
  
"You toss it back and forth."  
  
"FRANK!" Alice shrieked. Her husband spun and scanned the grounds for his son and saw him fleeing the scene, hood flying behind him on his way toward the pond in the center of the park. Harry was guffawing from where he was laying on the ground.  
  
"Hey, hey," the elder Longbottom shouted, running after the child. Reaching out, he hooked Neville's hood and yanked him up.  
  
"Don't carry him like that," his wife reprimanded when he returned, the child hanging from the hood of his coat, gurgling and grinning. Neville was replaced on his feet and ran back to Harry who was finding entertainment in the grass.  
  
"So how does this work again?" Frank asked, taking the Frisbee from James, who backed up a ways.  
  
"Toss it to me."  
  
Eyeing the disc warily, Frank chucked it at his friend and it caught him squarely between the eyes, causing him to fall back a few feet.  
  
"Dah!" Harry yelled, running to his father's side. The women were laughing from their bench and Frank ran to his friend's aid.  
  
"Is that how it's supposed to go?"  
  
"I'm fine. I'm fine. Just caught off guard, that's all," James insisted, rubbing his eyes behind his glasses. "And, no, that's not how it's supposed to go at all."  
  
"Sorry, I … I just didn't know."  
  
"No, that's fine. I'm alright. I'm good."  
  
"Dah?" Harry said again, wide-eyed and tugging on James' trouser leg. James patted his son's head and ruffled the tuft sticking out from under the hat.  
  
"I'm fine, Harry, thank you. Go play with Neville."  
  
Harry looked over his shoulder at his friend and smiled.  
  
"Nebble!"  
  
The round-cheeked youngster made his way to Harry and they stood watching their fathers from a few feet away.  
  
Frank had taken his place several yards away as James tossed the Frisbee to him properly.  
  
"Oh!" Frank exclaimed, understanding. "I see now."  
  
They went back and forth with the Frisbee for a while, the women content with polite conversation, and the children amused greatly by their fathers' running around.  
  
"Neville!" the boy's dad called, tossing the Frisbee to him lightly. Neville didn't catch it but made an attempt at flinging it back to him and Frank sent it to James.  
  
"This one's for you, Harry," James smiled, letting it fly to his son. The toddler ran after it and seized it, running away. "Hey!"  
  
"Nebble!"  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Both boys bolted toward their mothers.  
  
"Thieves!" Frank shouted.  
  
"Give me that back," James demanded playfully, walking to them and winking at his wife.  
  
"Throw it at your dad, Harry," Lily commanded and Harry pitched it at his father who fell to the ground when it connected with his nose.  
  
The children found this hilarious and Lily unsuccessfully attempted to chastise Harry for laughing but was giggling herself. Frank was trying to suppress his mirth and Alice just frowned at her friend on the ground.  
  
"Are you okay, James?" his wife asked, sliding off the bench to kneel in front of him. She took his glasses off and pulled his hand away from his face. "Oh, that's going to leave a mark."  
  
"I can't see straight, either," the man remarked in a strained voice, blinking a few times and squinting.  
  
"I've got your glasses here."  
  
"Oh."  
  
She smiled sadly at her injured husband and kissed his bruising nose.  
  
"Are you out for good, Jamesy?" Frank wanted to know, standing straight, "Or are you going to take it like a man and get back on the field?"  
  
"Shut up, Franklin, I'm flirting with my nurse," the grounded man declared, encircling the woman in his arms.  
  
Lily rolled her eyes and pushed him away, holding out his glasses. Harry dropped into his father's lap, snatching the spectacles out of her hand and putting them on. Neville gurgled and clapped at this. James snorted at the sight in his lap and Lily smiled.  
  
"We should have brought the camera," Alice commented as Frank walked to them.  
  
"Wow, he looks just like you, James," Frank told him.  
  
"Harry," Neville called, motioning for his friend to follow him. Harry struggled to his feet and James took his glasses before he got far.  
  
"Come on, Frank. I'll take you on," James challenged, standing and dusting off the seat of his trousers. Alice and Lily resumed their conversation as the men returned to their game.  
  
"Sirius can watch the boys Sunday night," Lily told her compatriot.  
  
"Are you sure? I don't want to put too much on him. Neville can be a handful sometimes."  
  
"Oh, he's wonderful, Alice. Neville isn't any more of a problem than Harry."  
  
Alice made a face and replied, "But your Harry is quite a handful."  
  
"Yes, I know," the other woman sighed.  
  
"It's a shame that all of this is going on now. The boys are so small. I just want them to live simple lives."  
  
"They will. This will be over soon," Lily predicted, watching the two children playing on the grass a few yards away. Harry was talking about something, making big gestures with his arms, his green eyes glittering. Neville was listening, rapt, smiling a little.  
  
"Neville adores Harry, you know," Alice said, suddenly.  
  
"And Harry loves his 'Nebble'."  
  
Mrs. Longbottom smiled at the mispronunciation of her son's name.  
  
"With everything that's going on with Voldemort and the attacks, it's their friendship that makes every day a little easier."  
  
Neville said something, interrupting his friend and Harry seemed to think this over.  
  
"I'm sure they'll be friends for a long time."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
©2004 – Roxanne L. Martin, Writings From Behind The Red Door 


End file.
